Did your friend or family member cause the collision you were recently involved in? Have your injuries had a significant impact on your life, or are expected to well into the future? If so, you may be considering your legal options and wondering how you can get justice.
We understand how sensitive car accidents involving friends and family can be. However, you have the right to be fully repaid when another party’s recklessness is the cause of your damages. Your trial-proven North Charleston car accident lawyer with Shelly Leeke Law Firm will do everything possible to maximize your settlement while protecting your relationships.
You May Have the Right to Sue a Family Member or Friend to Recover Full Compensation After a Car Accident
It is difficult to say whether you should file a claim against a friend or family member after a car accident. However, if your loved one is responsible for causing the accident, they are also responsible for compensating you for your losses. In fact, you would think your family and friends would be willing to accept responsibility for their negligence and ensure you have access to the funds you need to rebuild your life.
Unfortunately, far too often, this is not the case. You may be able to file a claim against their auto insurance policy, but this coverage may not be enough to meet your needs fully. In some cases, filing a personal injury lawsuit is the only way to recoup the compensation you are entitled to.
While you may be hoping to maintain a close relationship with your friends or family members, after being involved in a collision, your relationship may be strained. This is particularly true if it becomes necessary to take legal action against them. Fortunately, when you have the support of an empathetic personal injury lawyer in North Charleston, the claims process does not need to be intimidating.
Be Cautious Discussing the Car Accident Lawsuit with Your Family Member or Friend
Once you decide to take action, it may be ill-advised for you to discuss the car accident with your friends or family. After all, the liable parties may consider this a touchy subject. However, if you can recover a sizable portion of your damages through their insurance provider, the burden may not be quite as contentious.
Of course, the liable party may be expected to pay for your costs out of their own pocket if their insurance coverage is not enough to meet your needs. This happens much more often than people realize, particularly in cases where liable parties have only purchased the minimum amount of auto insurance coverage by law, which in South Carolina is $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident in bodily injury reliability coverage and $25,000 per accident and property damage liability coverage.
Furthermore, you may be able to ease the tension between your friends and family by having your catastrophic injury advocate handle the legal details of your case. With less pressure on you and your relationship with your loved ones, you may be able to put the trauma of this experience behind you and maintain your relationships. This way, your friends and family may not take your pursuit of a civil claim personally.
Potential Damages Your Attorney Could Recover from Your Liable Friends or Family
No matter who is found liable for causing the accident, you have the right to be made whole. You should be awarded maximum compensation for your losses, as you are already stuck dealing with the physical and emotional ramifications of the collision. Some examples of the potentially recoverable damages your family and friends might need to compensate you for include:
- Emotional distress
- Cost of medical treatment
- Chronic physical pain
- Mental anguish
- Loss of benefits and income
- Loss of household services
- Medical home modifications
- Childcare expenses
- Reduced quality of life
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
Many of these damages could be recovered through your friend or family member’s auto insurance coverage. However, if your medical bills exceed your loved one’s insurance policy limits, the insurance company may not fully repay you for your damages. When this happens, your options might be narrowed to include filing a claim against your no-fault insurance company where applicable or pursuing a personal injury lawsuit.
How a Compassionate Car Accident Lawyer Helps You Sue a Family Member or Friend After a Car Accident
Working with an experienced attorney may be the best way to navigate complex and highly emotional car accident cases. We will do everything possible to prevent any further damage to your relationships while maximizing your settlement. To build the strongest case possible, you can rely on our team at Shelly Leeke Law Firm to:
- Investigate the cause of the accident
- Determine who is responsible
- Obtain valuable supporting evidence
- Calculate the value of your losses
- Draft insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits
- Negotiate settlements with the insurance company
- Represent you at trial
- Provide regular case status updates
We work for our clients on contingency. We will never expect you to cover any of the costs associated with pursuing your case, and you will not need to pay us anything for our services if we do not win. This allows you to pursue the compensation you deserve without putting your personal finances on the line.
Connect with South Carolina’s Premier Car Accident Law Firm for Help Today
Even if someone you love is responsible for causing your injuries, you have the right to be made whole. Your loved one should be more than willing to accept responsibility for their actions and compensate you for your damages accordingly. However, if they take a firm stance against culpability, your case could become far more complex.
Working with a compassionate and experienced car accident attorney may be the best way to avoid jeopardizing your personal relationships without getting stuck absorbing the costs of your loved one’s negligence. Your legal team with Shelly Leeke Law Firm will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you are owed. Get started on your case as soon as today when you complete our online contact form or call our office to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.
